Nintendo can’t seem to catch a break recently, as it is once again the victim of a patent claim, this time by electronics giant Philips. Nintendo’s brushes with lawsuits (like most of the IT industry) aren’t new, last year for example they were found guilty of a patent infringement with the 3DS’ glasses-free technology.
Philips alleges it owns “Virtual body control devices” allowing users to control interfaces and games using “intuitive controls”. It also claims that Nintendo’s Wii Mote infringes on a second patent a “user interface system based on a pointing device”. Nintendo are yet to make statements regarding this accusation.
Philips aren’t so tight lipped, and have told the press it warned Nintendo of these patent infringements back in the mists of time (okay, so 2011) but had yet to inform it of this second patent infringement – until now.
They are now requesting Nintendo compensate for ‘damages’ caused by these two infringements and also BAN the sale of any technology which requires or uses this technology to function. So yes, that’d mean the Wii U, Wii U Gamepad, Wii Mote, Wii, Wii Mini and so on would be effectively banned in the US for infringement of patent.
For Nintendo this is horrible news, their sales of the Wii U are hardly stellar as is and they don’t need yet another cause of worry. It’s important to remember that these accusations are alleged and not proven but the IT industry is full of law suits right now.
Chances are good if you’re a cell / mobile phone fan you’d have caught a glimpse at the various suing / counter suing done by Apple, Samsung, HTC and pretty much everyone else under the sun.
